Warsaw Rabbinate Moves Against Jewish Atheists

May 18, 1928

Warsaw (May. 17)

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Extraordinary measures will be taken by the Jewish community of Warsaw to prevent Jews from declaring themselves officially as atheists, it was decided at a special session of the Warsaw Rabbinate held yesterday.

The Rabbinate declared that from now on members of the Jewish community who file official papers to the effect that they are atheists will be considered as renegades and will be refused burial in the Jewish cemetery and denied other Jewish religious rites.

The decision was taken following reports submitted to the Rabbinate that in recent months, many declarations of atheism were made by community members. He was stated that the declarations were intended in order to secure exemption from the payment of the increased Kehillah tax, which is collected for the Jewish community by the Government.

A gift of 100,000 francs was made by Lucins N. Littaner to the Hospital St. Antoine of Paris, one of the oldest hospitals in Paris. A year ago M. Littaner gave a similar sum to promote research work for digestive disorders.